We’ve heard the call one thousand times. “This is Rocket League” echoed across the internet as Justin “Jstn.” Morales scores the greatest 0-second goal, if not the greatest Rocket League goal ever.
The shot, the game 7, the call. A star was born and two years later, a collection of professional Rocket League managers, coaches and casters made a list with the now 18-year-old sitting on top of the world.
For this list, YouTube content creator Jared “SunlessKhan” Zook interviewed former World Champion coach John “Virge” Willis, Team Liquid's manager Lukasz "Lukasz" Zyromski, and a group of long-time casters for RLCS composed of Randy "Gibbs" Gibbons, Adam "Lawler" Thornton, John "Johnnyboi_i" MacDonald and Finn "Finnerdt" Groothengel.
With a combined experience of 15+ years and counting on the pitch, in the booth, or both, Sunless asked for their Top 20 Rocket League players and averaged them in a table tallying up the ranks to find the best of the best right now.
One year prior to this new video, Sunless released another Top 20 Rocket League Players, but that time without professional consultation. Below you will find both lists, side-to-side, including their respective honourable mentions.
Top 20 Rocket League Players 2019 (according to SunlessKhan) |
Top 20 Rocket League Players 2020 (according to experts) |
1. Alexandre "Kaydop" Courant |
1. Justin "jstn." Morales |
2. Justin "jstn." Morales |
2. Evan "M0nkey M00n" Rogez |
3. Garrett "GarrettG" Gordon |
3. Yanis "Alpha54" Champenois |
4. Victor "Fairy Peak!" Locquet |
4. Caden "Sypical" Pellegrin |
5. Mariano "SquishyMuffinz" Arruda |
5. Tshaka "Arsenal" Lateef Taylor Jr. |
6. Thibault "Chausette45" Grzesiak |
6. Victor "Fairy Peak!" Locquet |
7. Kyle "Scrub Killa" Robertson |
7. Alex "Extra" Paoli |
8. Jesus "gimmick" Parra |
8. Garrett "GarrettG" Gordon |
9. Pierre "Turbopolsa" Silfver |
9. Marc "MaRc_By_8." Domingo |
10. Kyle "Torment" Storer |
10. Archie "archie" Pickthall |
11. Jacob "JKnaps" Knapman |
11. Nick "mist" Costello |
12. Yanis "Alpha54" Champenois |
12. Alexandre "Kaydop" Courant |
13. Reed "Chicago" Wilen |
13. Reed "Chicago" Wilen |
14. Francesco "kuxir97" Cinquemani |
14. Slater "retals" Thomas |
15. Cameron "Kronovi" Bills |
15. Maello "AztraL" Ernst. |
16. Jos "ViolentPanda" van Meurs |
16. Jacob "JKnaps" Knapman |
17. Hrant "Flakes" Yakoub |
17. Jason "firstkiller" Corral |
18. Otto "Metsanauris" Kaipiainen |
18. Aldin "Ronaky" Hodzic |
19. David "Deevo" Morrow |
19. Landon "BeastMode" Konerman |
20. Dillon "Rizzo" Rizzo |
20. Pierre "Turbopolsa" Silfver |
Honourable mentions: Austin "AYYJAYY" Aebi, Emil "fruity" Moselund, Matthew "Drippay" Den-Kaat, Daniel "Bluey" Bluett, Jack "Speed" Packwood-Clarke and Maello "AztraL" Ernst. |
Honourable mentions: Austin "AYYJAYY" Aebi, Dillon "Rizzo" Rizzo, Mariano "SquishyMuffinz" Arruda, Jos "ViolentPanda" van Meurs, Christopher "majicbear" Acevedo, Samuel "Zamué" Cortés, Amine "itachi" Benayachi, Michael "Memory" Moss, Massimo "Atomic" Franceschi and Lucas "RelatingWave" Rose. |
The most notable differences from the lists -- apart from the fact that the second one is more credible, are that some of Rocket League's most recognizable names, such as Kaydop and TurboPolsa have seen their stock fallen, and have been supplanted by players that have made their name in the revamped RLCS X.
Not only due to the increased player pool or skill level but also because of personal performance in The Grid and recent Regional events.
It is no surprise to see that two Fall Split Major champion squads made the 2020 list. EU Champion BDS in spots 2, 7 and 9 and NA Champion Spacestation Gaming in spots 4, 5 and 14.
Although the 2020's rankings backed up by professionals has a fresh, competitive feel to it, we would love to see an official list à la NFL Top 100, where fellow players rank one another, perhaps with casters and the game's biggest content creators casting a vote too.
With the first Split of three already finished in RLCS X, these ranking acts like an unofficial third-of-the-season award show and just begs for inter-regional showdowns for debate-settling bragging rights.
- Read more: North American Rocket League champion calls for "unofficial" game to settle NA vs EU rivalry
With the pandemic still ongoing, it’s still very hard to tell if such an event, like the Rocket League World Championship programmed for the middle of next year, will go ahead.
For now, a list like this will have to do.